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ELEGTRIGAL FOOT BATH. v No. 517,862. Patented Apr. 10, 1894.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR A V av ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC A. ISAACS,OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRICAL FOOT-BATH.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No 517,862, dated April 10,1894. Application filed January 10, 1894:- Serial No. 496.344- (No modelvide a simple and economical electrical foot-' bath.

In carrying out my invention, I employ a pail or analogous vessel ofsuitable dimen-' sions capable of holding a sufficient quantity of waterand accommodating the lower portions of the legs of a user. Near thebottom of the vessel is placed a series of alternatelyarranged copperand zinc or equivalent bars or plates, upon which the feet of the batheror patient may rest. Beneath the plane of this series of bars or plates,the vessel is formed with a lateral opening to which is connected anexteriorly-arranged pipe or conduit which is secured to the body of thevessel, and preferably provided at its upper end with a flaring mouthfor the convenient introduction of hot water to the bath. The mainpurposes of this construction are first to avoid removal of the feetfrom the bath and any liability of scalding or burning the legs of theuser during the pouring in of hot water from time to time as it may beneeded to maintain a required or desired temperature of the water; andsecondly to introduce the hot water at such a locality relatively to thezinc and copper plates or equivalent voltaic couples as that the bestelectrical action maybe obtained in the bath, and the water at the sametime rendered of practically equal temperature throughout without thenecessity of stirringit with the hands, or moving the feet from contactwith the battery elements.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of anapparatus embodying my improvements;and Fig.2 is a central verticalsection of the same.

The same part will be found designated by the same numeral of referencein both views.

1 is the body of the pail or vessel, which rial; 2 the bottom thereof,and 3 a bail or handle for convenience of carrying. Resting upon thebottom is a detachable ring or support 4, having a horizontal flangeWhen the bars are arranged edgewise their ends may be twisted to ahorizontal plane as illustrated, for convenient and economicalattachment to the flange; but of course the bars may be otherwiseconstructed and arranged. The series or sets of bars besides forming aplurality of couples or elements of a voltaic battery also serve theoffice of a rest or support for the feet of the bather.

At 8, on one side of the vessel, and below the plane of the electrodesis formed an opening to which is connected the lowermost end of a pipe9, which is soldered or otherwise semay be of any desired shape, size ormatecured to the outside of the vessel and provided with a flaring mouth10 at its uppermost end.

The vessel may be partially filled with water at the desired temperatureand the feet of the bather or patient then inserted and rested upon thegrid formed by the electrodes As the water decreases in temperature,boiling water may be poured into the pipe and the temperature of thewater in the vessel thus gradually restored or increased and frombeneath, the tendency of the hotter or boiling water being to rise orcause a circulatiom upon entering the vessel at the inlet-opening 8. Thedifference in temperature between the water in the bath and thatsubsequently introduced through the tube causes an increased electricalaction in the bars in the establishment of an equilibrium of temperaturein the water. a The apparatus .is designed more particularly for personsrequiring electrical baths of comparatively weak power, such as thosesuffering from rheumatism, gout, and nervous afiections, and by theconstruction herein shown and described baths of this nature may beobtained at small expense and in a most convenient and safe form. Ifdesired the Water may be acidulated to increase the strength of theelectric currents.

Changes in detail construction and arrangement may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of my improvements.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An electrical foot-bath consisting of a vessel and a number ofvoltaic couples arranged at or near the bottom of the vessel and servingalso as a support for the feet of the user.

2. An electrical foot-bath consisting of a vessel, a number of voltaiccouples arranged 20 near the bottom of the vessel, and a hot water inletto the vessel arranged beneath-said couple's.

3. An electrical foot-bath consisting of a vessel, a number of voltaiccouples arranged near the bottom of the vessel, a hot-water inletarranged between said couples and said bottom, and anexteriorly-arranged hot-water pipe on the side of the vessel.

4. An electrical foot-bath consisting of the vessel, the ring, thevoltaic couples thereon, the hot-water inlet beneath the couples, andthe outside hot-water pipe.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, this 8th day of January, A. D. 1894.

I. A. ISAAGS.

Witnesses:

JACOB FELBEL, I. O. MACDONALD.

